My Chinkara
by KLloyd
Summary: Canon up to and including most of chapter 4 of DUD, with a change of events thereafter. A What-If story from EPOV, because I am in love with his brain. Eric is not a sweetie-pie, please be warned that images explained here might be disturbing to some.
1. Chapter 1

This is a What-If story, simply because I wanted to practise writing and felt the desire to scratch this particular itch. Please take it for what it is and leave some comments on the writing qualities or mistakes that I humbly present you with. I am not a native speaker of English, and I am therefore grateful for all the feedback I can get that might improve my writing skills.

On the title: Well, if Eric is considered a lion, then, in my world, Sooks would be a gazelle. A chinkara is a very pretty gazelle that lives in western India. There are, or used to be, lions there too.

And thanks a lot to my wonderful beta VampLover1, whom makes my story readable.

I am not making any money out of this. CH, or AB, if you see this, please take it as a compliment.

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**Chapter One**

It was a night much like any other. My bar was hopping with business, fang-bangers and tourists alike. It's surprising really how well the concept turned out. I had anticipated the allure of mingling with the undead, but the popularity of 'Fangtasia' was greater than I had dared to hope. It also provided a great pastime for me and my child; these pathetic humans can be so amusing with their ignorance, despite their liquor-induced rambling and sour smell; like stale harbour basins where dead rats float among the debris and dirt. Despite the not so addicting flavour and enticing aroma, the nightclub had quickly developed into some kind of fast food enterprise, since there were always willing donors present, begging to spill their life's essence at the teeth of one of us.

The ease of how to find a meal was one advantage of going public, but I missed the chase, the high from hunting down the prey. The fear kicking in and the adrenaline pumping through their veins as they realised they were no longer on the top of the food chain. How their heart rate picked up and their breathing got shallow and jagged. Of course, this was still possible to achieve, and most often with very little effort, but it would do no good for the acceptance of our kind, so this kind of behaviour was therefore strictly banned from my Area. However, since I am the one who make and enforce the rules, I also happen to be entitled to break them whenever I wish. As long as I don't make a habit out of it, it shouldn't be too worrisome to have a little fun now and then. I even let my child free on a proper hunt a few weeks back; there's nothing like a carrot to inspire great loyalty, and she definitely deserved her reward.

I gazed over the crowd, thinking that I should let myself loose tonight. The past week had been a trying one, with several tricky situations, so maybe some old-fashioned sport would do me good. Last night had been particularly tiresome with a very young vampire getting into trouble with the Weres of Ruston over some girl who apparently was the non-shifting sister of one of the high-ups in that pack. What a mess. She didn't even know about the two-natured, so she had to be glamoured to forget about her furry brother getting beaten by the vamp. It had been quite fun to watch actually, until body parts started to fly and the girl's screams threatened to give me a headache. The vamp and the Were were surprisingly even until the rest of the pack showed up.

But seriously, what had she been thinking? That she had been a vampire for less than a year is no excuse for inducing such a political disaster. It would have been one thing if the girl had come along willingly and of free choice, but she had been glamoured to take up with the vamp and that did not fare well with her brother and his gang. I was going to have a serious discussion with her maker, soon. And this was not the only case of irresponsible makers. The revelation had sparked what could only be considered a baby boom in the vampire community. Fortunately enough, most of the commotion occurred down in New Orleans and my little corner of the world was still quite pleasurable.

Pam strolled up to the booth, where I was situated for everyone to admire, and she took the seat next to me.

"Have you noticed the delectable creature Bill has dragged here with him tonight?" she asked, indicating the couple ordering drinks at the bar. "It's a shame to spoil something so fine on the likes of him, don't you think?"

I inspected the girl whom my child had taken an interest in. She was indeed a fine specimen, with wavy blond hair cascading down her back, a well-proportioned body and tanned strong legs exposed under her white dress. She was speaking with our bartender, Longshadow, and her face was hidden from me, but that dress certainly spiked my interest as well. A white dress, in a vampire bar? Did she not realise it made her look like a sacrificial lamb led down to slaughter? And what was wrong with Bill, was he truly that stupid that he didn't realise how tempting she was?

"Yes, she seems … unique," I answered her.

She snickered at my remark before replying in a disappointed tone,

"I shouldn't have drawn your attention to her, now I don't stand a chance."

The two of us battling over the same woman had developed into a game over the last twenty years. Most of the time our tastes differed, and otherwise the sexual orientation of the item in question usually determined the outcome, but sometimes we could actually enjoy the challenge of the competition. It was always a lot of fun, and on more than one occasion we ended up sharing in the end. I observed the girl as she stiffened in response to something Longshadow said and noticed that Bill realised I was evaluating his company. But he quickly averted his eyes. I imagined he didn't want to be beckoned over just to lose his prize as soon as he arrived, and they went to sit down at one of the tables further away from the bar.

Nervous, hmm? I took his behaviour as a challenge and suddenly realised what game I'd be playing tonight. And that girl would tremble, not from fear but for an altogether different reason when I was through with her. Several fang-bangers approached them, and Bill sent each of them away while the girl stayed still and quiet in the corner. Was she that well-trained that she knew her place as an old style pet? I doubted it; I'd never seen Bill as the type for demanding complete subservience, and it didn't match with her earlier forwardness with Longshadow. Very intriguing.

When I refocused on my immediate surroundings I noticed a young man crawling towards Pam. He was dressed completely in black and had a dog-collar with spikes around his neck, and I shot her an amused smirk to which she rolled her eyes. After conjuring up enough courage he reverently kissed one of her boots, which immediately granted him a kick in his shoulder. It caused him to tumble heavily into a couple of chairs, and a few of the tourists to stir uncomfortably. Wasn't it the danger that they came to experience? Well, I guess they would feel more comfortable looking through the safety glass casings one encountered at zoos, but this was the real thing. I nodded at Pam to approve of her restraint in not hurting the man further. It would quickly become problematic if our patrons had to start contacting their health insurance companies after visiting Fangtasia.

I realised that yet more people were advancing, despite the little show Pam put on just before. Annoyed, I directed my attention towards them and was surprised to see Bill and his girl approach.

"Bill," I stated, nodding to affirm his presence. The girl didn't know to stop when he did and that confirmed my suspicion that this was not a well-trained pet. She had mesmerising blue eyes and a cute pink mouth. Who was she? Where had he found her? Was Bill looking to make a child?

"Who's your friend?" Pam asked him, before turning her attention to the girl, giving her a fangy smile. But the girl recoiled at the sight. Very surprising, considering that she arrived here in the company of a vampire. Not a fang-banger either, then.

"Hi, I'm Sookie Stackhouse," she said, the southern accent reinforcing her polite manners. I drew a slow, measured breath to evaluate her smell and was yet again surprised. She was untouched and had the most fragrant and enticing aroma.

"Aren't you sweet," I offered as a compliment.

"Not especially," she quickly bantered back. I guess knowing that you have a pleasant taste is rather unsettling unless you actually want to be eaten. How amusing! I noticed that she was becoming uncomfortable, so I decided to introduce myself and my child.

"Sookie, this is Pam and I am Eric."

"My friend Sookie would like to ask a couple of questions," Bill chimed in, and Pam, who had not noticed yet just how special this girl was, shot me a bored look.

"Like how long are our fangs, and what kind of coffin do we sleep in?"

"No, ma'am," she answered with that innocent little face, and I think Pam started to realise that there was something different about Sookie Stackhouse. The girl pulled two photos from her purse and held them up for us to see.

"I'd like to know if you've seen either of these women in this bar."

"I have been with this one," I answered after a little while, indicating one of the pictures. I lifted my focus and looked her straight in the eyes before I continued. "She liked pain." Pam was surprised that I was so forthcoming and quickly volunteered some information of her own.

"I have seen both of them. I have never been with them. This one," she indicated the other girl's picture, "was a pathetic creature."

"Thank you very much, that's all of your time I need to take," she said, slightly unnerved by something. I couldn't tell if it was my gaze or the pain-part. She made a move as to leave, but Bill's grasp of her arm effectively prevented it. He obviously cared for her well-being, but I wanted to know if there was something more about her than he let on.

"Bill, are you quite attached to your friend?" I asked him directly, ready to observe his reaction in detail. I could hear Sookie draw in her breath when the implication hit her.

"She is mine," he stated, not quite as sure of himself as he wished, and I acknowledged his claim as I watched Sookie squirm over the statement. He relaxed at that and they left. She immediately questioned the encounter, and I couldn't help but to smile to myself. 'Mine,' my ass. That girl did not, and would not, belong to anyone but me.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Sookie Stackhouse. What an intriguing person she proved to be. She was not a fang-banger, nor a tourist. She was not his pet and, if one listened to her, probably not his anything. She had a purpose coming here tonight, and he came along with her. As a date? A bodyguard? That had to be it. It would explain the "She's mine" and her "Hmpff" reaction to that statement. Why would he agree to do something like that? Maybe there was some truth in my earlier hitch that he wanted to make a child; she would be perfect I'm sure. Why would he go to such pains if all he wanted was a pet, or even a girlfriend in the human sense?

Pam stood up and left, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Or, I could at least pretend I was alone; a large group of tourists was starting to form within close proximity to my booth. I gave them a hard glare and wished for once that I was less of a draw. Another, less intimidating vampire soon caught their attention, and I could return to musing over Sookie.

I couldn't help but focus on her as Bill and Sookie sat at their table, nursing their drinks. They were deep in discussion and didn't pay attention to their surroundings. She seemed agitated about something, and it was difficult to guess what Bill was thinking. He stood up and went over to the bar to refill their drinks, and I decided to see if I could get Sookie to spill the beans while he was gone. I focused on her so that I would be ready for when she might catch my eyes, and she started to squirm in her seat until she looked up, directly into my eyes with a confused face. But she did not fall under my glamour. How was this possible? I had not failed in glamouring anyone for centuries; the last time it occurred it happened to be a were-eagle, but Sookie was definitely no were. So what was she? Was she even human?

Bill displayed a very annoyed look after returning to the table. Sookie must have told him about my try at her. So he was aware that she couldn't be glamoured, and he didn't mind. Now that was curious. They both seemed agitated and not too happy about the situation. Suddenly she focused on the room, still speaking. She noticed me watching and their speech became hurried. They were arguing about something. Reluctantly, he stood up and offered his hand to her, and much to my surprise, they approached me once more.

"There's going to be a raid," Bill stated, once they were close enough. I crooked an eyebrow at him. What did he know about this, and why was he privy when I was not?

"How do you know?" I demanded, but apparently he struggled to answer that.

"Me," Sookie piped in. Now what did she know? I never saw that coming and stared at her in wonder until she muttered an explanation.

"I read a policeman's mind."

Ah. Now that was the answer to everything. Let's hope she didn't read vamps, too. It would be such a shame to have to get rid of her.

"That's interesting," I said. "I had a psychic once. It was incredible."

I think this unsettled her. I wanted to test her ability, so I focused on my last night with the young psychic girl from so long ago. How she at first was screaming in pleasure, and later in pain and agony, only to end in silence as she bled to death. I recalled the blood tainting her pale skin, resembling her dark hair, and how her skyblue eyes filled with fear.

"Did the psychic think so?" Sookie asked, obviously oblivious to the girl's fate. I laughed, how perfect. She sure had spunk, and a lot else.

"For a while," I answered, but we had to get back to more pressing matters. "Now, would you please tell me why the police would have an interest in my bar tonight?"

"Well, because there's a vampire feeding on a fang-banger in the restrooms," she said, looking me straight in the eyes. Hmm. Why could they not bring their dinners with them? Was it that difficult to wait another fifteen minutes?

"If that is the case, I hope you will excuse me for a minute while I deal with this," I said as I rose. "Please, stay. Have a drink on the house." I nodded for a waitress to attend to my company as I passed the bar on my way to the back where the toilets were located. As soon as I was inside and the noise level was acceptable, I whipped out my phone and called law enforcement. A bored, male voice answered after a few rings.

"Shreveport Police department, what can I help you with?"

"Good evening, this is Eric Northman, the owner of Fangtasia."

"Fangtasia? The vampire bar Fangtasia?"

I guessed he was well aware that they were planning a raid here the very minute I had called. By intercepting their action and calling them myself, I effectively freed myself, and the bar, from a lot of trouble. I could just about hear the wheels turning in his head as I confirmed that I was indeed calling from the vampire bar. Apparently the phone clerk knew about the soon-to-be raid, and was put off by my phone call. That would also mean that he knew about the vampire in the toilets. If there wasn't a serious problem associated with this call, it might have been amusing. Instead, it was annoying, and tedious. The slightly worried voice collected itself and spoke again.

"Uh. Emm, what can I help you with tonight, sir?"

"We seem to be having somewhat of a situation here with a vampire not abiding by the law. I wanted to check whether you would like to send someone over to sort it out or if you would prefer for us to deal with it and deliver the culprit."

"What kind of offense are we talking about?"

"A public feeding on the premises."

"Okay, well, I'll send a car over straight away. If you would please hold, mister."

"Thank you."

I heard the line click as I was put on hold, and turned my attention to the cubicle where the vamp and the fang-banger were. The vampire's name was Alice, however unfitting. She was quite new in my area, but not young by any means, so she should know better than to make such a mess. In my bar, nonetheless. I knew she had heard every word of the phone call, and therefore knew the police were on their way, and I figured she would also understand that I was pretty pissed about the ordeal. The door slowly opened to reveal one horny vampire and one bloody, almost unconscious guy.

"Now, could you please explain why I have to deal with law enforcement, in my own bar?" I said coolly, knowing that it was infinitely more scary than lashing out blindly. She seemed to take a while to make up her mind about what to say, but when a low growl threatened to escape me she quickly bowed down before me.

"I am sorry, Sheriff. I did wrong," she offered, and since it was the right thing for her to say, I decided her punishment would not be too harsh. However, she would have to anticipate it unknowingly for quite some time. With vampires, pain is painful, but it is what happens in their heads that will stick. A well backed-up threat is usually more effective than the act itself.

The police clerk was suddenly back on the phone, and I returned to that conversation without breaking eye contact with Alice.

"Yes?" I answered.

"Hi again, sir. There will be a party coming by shortly. Could you please make sure that someone meets up with them outside to let them in and show the way?"

"Yes, of course. That will not be a problem."

"The people on site will handle this from here. Thank you for calling."

"It's a pleasure to have such reliable police service, good night."

I ended the call and flipped my phone shut before taking a few seconds of silence as if to contemplate Alice's fate. By now, she was seriously troubled by what potential result this might have.

"Clean him up, and make sure he agrees that this was voluntary. The police will be here shortly, and I will deal with you once you have been released from custody," I stated and went out back out into the bar. I wanted to speak a little more with Sookie before the cops started to pull in, but when I returned to my table, they had already left.

"Pam," I called out. She would hear me although very few humans would be able to pick it up due to the loud music.

"When did they leave?" I asked when she stood by my side.

"Right after you left, I think," she replied. "I imagine they didn't want to speak with the police for half of the night, or the rest of their date for that matter."

"That was not a date, and you know it," I muttered. Yet another thing that didn't go my way tonight. I was not going to let everything pile up though, and decided that it would be useful with some more information.

"Find out where they went, and follow them there," I instucted, opting to stay and deal with the law enforcement. "Find out everything that you can. I'll be expecting you, and the news you bring, tomorrow at the Lakeview house."

"It'll be fun to see what they might be up to," she replied, practically beaming with delight as she tossed her carkeys at me. "I'll be running."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

I rose from my rest with a sense of anticipation, which was a welcome change from my mundane nights of late. The reason for this was what I found in my bar last night: a lovely young female telepath residing in my area. Yes, yesterday had been a great interruption to my otherwise wearisome week, despite the police never stopping their harassment of my bar. I tried to be very patient with the authorities in order to prove the reliability and good-will of our kind, but there was a long way to go until vampires were accepted as equal citizens by the general public. I figured the assimilation of vampires into society was a lot like the way women slowly gained their rights during the twentieth century. A group of people, different but in no way less great, taking control of their own fates, and getting involved with the comings and goings outside of their own life, one step at a time.

And the similarities didn't end there. Women have always swayed a lot of power through their males, influencing the outcomes from the shadows. Very much like vampires. I chuckled to myself and went to take a shower. It would be some time before Pam would arrive, and I was in no hurry to get ready. After enjoying the hot steam for about 15 minutes, I left the bathroom and turned on the TV so I could listen to the local news while I getting dressed. There wasn't much of interest, until I picked up on a double murder in some rural backwater town. The reporter was interviewing the local sheriff who confirmed that both girls had been strangled to death, and that investigations were already in place.

"Is there any truth behind the rumours that both girls were associating with vampires?" the reporter asked.

"Yes, but almost everybody here has since we have a vampire living within our community," he answered. Good to know, this was one guy who didn't discriminate.

"This local vampire, is he among the suspects?" she further inquired.

"I am not at liberty to share this kind of information, but we have too little information yet to be able to establish any motive and narrow down our focus on a few suspects."

"Do you have any leads at all?"

"We are investigating several different theories at the moment."

"One last question, it has been known that both girls had fresh fang-marks when they were discovered. Can you confirm this?"

"No, that is not something that I am able to comment on. Thank you."

Both girls' pictures filled the screen, as the reporter concluded the broadcast, and I recognised them as the two girls Sookie had been asking questions about. So this was the reason for her visit, Sookie was conducting her very own private investigation. I guess it helped that she was telepathic. But it was slightly disquieting that so much attention was drawn to vampires about this crime; even Sookie and Bill obviously thought they would learn something useful by pursuing that particular lead. This should not be allowed to escalate and endanger the delicate acceptance of the Fang.

I switched off the TV, grabbed a jacket and left the house. I had spent the day at another location, not wanting to rest at the same place as where I was meeting with Pam since someone might have overheard us at the bar. The western sky was still slightly orange but the stars were starting to show as the dark quickly spread. There was a lot of heat left in the air, and I thoroughly enjoyed the drive over to the Lakeview district.

While on the road I busied myself with making a mental list of the issues I was going to have to deal with soon. To implant into the area vamps the seriousness of creating a child was one high priority of mine, it's not something that should be done on a whim. And there was also the issue with Alice. I decided to check up on what the police decided to do with her once I was finished speaking with Pam.

I arrived at the large waterfront property ahead of Pam, or at least her car was nowhere to be seen. She normally took some time to get ready in the evenings, so this was not unexpected. Besides, I rise earlier than she does. Disengaging the alarms, I went inside and booted the computer before sitting down in the den. I called Gervaise to get the phone chain going for tonight, and chatted with him for a little while until I heard Pam's car pull up outside. Since this house was more of a show-off than a home, Pam was just as familiar with it as I was, and she was soon entering the den.

"Master," she greeted me while slumping into a lounge chair.

"Yes, Pam. What did you find out yesterday?"

"Sookie Stackhouse lives in Bon Temps, together with her grandmother," she started. "She is a waitress at the local hangout, working for the shifter Sam Merlotte. She's never been to college and has few friends. She doesn't seem to get out much. She has a brother, Jason, who is the Casanova of the town."

"And what did they do yesterday, after they left Fangtasia?"

"They went to her home and parted ways, Bill happens to live right next door. However, I arrived there in time to overhear their parting words. You wouldn't believe how slow that weasel drives. You were completely right though; they do not have a romantic relationship, or not any more at least. Bill behaved very oddly, and she seemed quite upset with him, in more ways than one."

"How, what did they say?"

"She apologised for 'pestering' him, and he in turn told her that she was too naive for her own good. She finished by promising she wouldn't try to reach him again."

"Sounds like great news to me," I concluded.

"Personally, I think she likes him very much, but is put off by him lacking in returning the sentiment. She did, however, go straight to bed after he left; she didn't cry and she didn't pleasure herself. I'm a little disappointed really, I was looking forward to quite the show, and it turns out all you sent me on was a long field trip."

We both sat in silence while I contemplated what to do. The girl was mesmerising, and it seemed like she wouldn't be too tricky to capture even without me being able to glamour her. But something kept nagging at me, whispering that this was going to be more of a challenge than I expected. And I did have other things on my mind. Plus it was a Friday night, and I should probably be at Fangtasia, especially with our recent problems with the law.

"I need to check my inbox. Help yourself to a blood if you like, and come join me in the study," I said as I rose from my seat. Pam went to the kitchen, and I listened to the monotone hum of the microwave as Outlook-so-not-Express loaded my e-mail. There was a note from my day man Bobby concerning the renovations of a property I had recently purchased, and a report from Fantasia's accountant, but nothing that required my immediate attention.

"Did you by any chance watch the news tonight?" I asked her when she rejoined me. I wondered why she had failed to mention the rather important fact that there was a murder investigation going on in Sookie's town, one that the very same girl also happened to be meddling with. She should have been aware of this after checking up on Sookie last night.

"No, why? I don't normally bother myself with the petty comings and goings of humans," she answered.

"Well, maybe you should," I chided her. "If you had, you would have known the reason for Bill's and Sookie's visit. And, it would have been a good thing to have included in your report to me."

"Please, enlighten me," she said, completely ignoring the criticism.

"Two women have been murdered in Bon Temps. Sookie came to Fangtasia to find out more about it, and the photos she was showing us portrayed the victims. This concerns us because the humans are speculating that a vampire is guilty of the murders, since both women apparently had fang marks when they were discovered. One set did belong to me, so I assume that it's true about the older girl as well."

This shut her up, since she understood the PR mess this could create if it was left unattended.

"So, I will visit the unfortunate town tonight, and you will attend to the bar," I stated. Pam groaned.

"But it's Friday! There's going to be a huge crowd!"

I merely arched my eyebrows at this. Honestly, Pam was getting too frequent with her wailing.

"Sorry, master. I'll be fine on my own," she said as she lowered her eyes.

"Good," I replied, and checked the time before leaving the house in her care. "I'll come back later when I'm done."

I drove swiftly towards Sookie's home town and called the Shreveport police. Fangtasia had received a modest fine last night, and I used this as a cover for learning some news of the fate of Alice. She was still being held in custody but would be released tomorrow. I'm sure she wasn't looking forward to it one bit.

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Hi everyone! I am leaving this morning for a week of vacation in Jordan, so the next update will be a while. I am very pleased at the response so far, thank you everyone that read, R&R, and add me to their alerts. Please let me know what you like, and what you don't think works.

Lots of Love /Lloyd


	4. Chapter 4

Hello again!

Just to explain the long time that has passed since the last chapter; well, spring arrived. It's a big deal in Sweden. But now we've got summer instead so hopefully I'll be able to update more frequently. For all of you who might not remember which story this is and what's happened so far I include the last piece of the previous chapter with some Eric and Pam dialouge. I'm also fixing a few mistakes in the earlier chapters, but not enough to prompt you to re-read them, unless you want to of course.

Please enjoy!

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_"Two women have been murdered in Bon Temps. Sookie came to Fangtasia to find out more about it, and the photos she was showing us portrayed the victims. This concerns us because the humans are speculating that a vampire is guilty of the murders, since both women apparently had fang marks when they were discovered. One set did belong to me, so I assume that it's true about the older girl as well."_

_This shut her up, since she understood the PR mess this could create if it was left unattended._

_"So, I will visit the unfortunate town tonight, and you will attend to the bar," I stated. _

_Pam groaned._

_"But it's Friday! There's going to be a huge crowd!"_

_I merely arched my eyebrows at this. Honestly, Pam was getting too frequent with her wailing._

_"Sorry, master. I'll be fine on my own," she said as she lowered her eyes._

_"Good," I replied, and checked the time before leaving the house in her care. "I'll come back later when I'm done."_

_I drove swiftly towards Sookie's home town and called the Shreveport police. Fangtasia had received a modest fine last night, and I used this as a cover for learning some news of the fate of Alice. She was still being held in custody but would be released tomorrow. I'm sure she wasn't looking forward to it one bit._

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**Chapter Four**

Bon Temps. One out of hundreds of typical red-neck towns within my area, and one that I had not had any reason to visit until now. On my way along the country road I contemplated why a vampire would choose to settle in such a place. It seemed a little odd to me that Bill would return to where he lived as a human; but then again, Bill was a little odd. Maybe it was truly a coincidence that he happened to end up right next door to the telepath. However, during my long life I had learned that unbelievable coincidences seldom happened at random. I was going to be very observant around him from now on, and hopefully any hidden agenda of his would soon reveal itself.

I pulled into the parking lot of Merlotte's and glanced around at the sad excuses for cars that were parked all around: dust-laden trucks and run-down family wagons. What a depressing place, I thought as I left my 'vette and went inside.

Almost everyone's eyes were on me the instant I entered the establishment. It's somewhat flattering to have such an impact on people, but it can be inconvenient at times as well. I couldn't see Sookie anywhere, so I went up to the bar. The bartender was a shifter, and therefore presumedly the owner of the place.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked, after acknowledging my presence with a nod. "We carry Tru Blood, B-positive and O-negative."

"O-negative, please," I replied.

He went to heat it up and I turned around to look for a suitable booth, hopefully one that Sookie would be working. If she was working tonight. It suddenly hit me that she might not even be here; why had I not thought about that possibility earlier? I mentally shook myself and returned my attention to the shifter.

"Sam Merlotte, I assume?" I said to him as he returned with my bottle and put it down in front of me.

"Yes, and you are?"

"I'm Eric Northman."

He stiffened slightly when he heard my name and I took it to mean that he knew who I was.

"I understand that there is some speculation about the recent homicides in the area," I continued. "As a bar owner, I'm sure that you are aware of most of the town gossip. Tell me, is there something the media hasn't covered that I should know of?"

"I don't know anything about that," he said. "Why don't you carry out your own investigation and find out who killed my waitress?"

"Your waitress? Dawn Green, perhaps?"

"How do you… Wait, never mind..." he replied, seemingly taken aback by my suggestion.

"Well, both girls that were killed were so-called fang-bangers. I would like to know if the locals believe it was a vampire who killed them," I told him, clearly expecting an answer. "And if the police believe so, too."

"Some do, you'll have to ask them yourself," he stated, clearly not volunteering any more information, then turned to another customer who really didn't need any more to drink. Who does he think he is? When I ask questions, I get answers. The sooner, the better for the informee.

I put a ten on the counter, picked up my bottle and went over to sit down in an empty booth along the front windows. There wasn't much of a crowd despite the weekend coming up. A family having dinner, a few guys drinking by the pool table and maybe ten other odd locals scattered around in various degrees of intoxication. And Sookie Stackhouse emerging from the employee-only area.

She froze mid-step once she realised I was sitting there, watching her. Surely it couldn't be that much of a shock? I smiled at her until she shrugged and went over to speak with the shifter, before making her rounds. Soon she arrived at my booth.

"Hi, can I get you anything?" she asked.

"Good evening, Sookie. And no, thank you. Maybe later." I replied, and leaned forward a little before I continued.

"I am sorry for how your date ended last night, and I hope to convince you to give my bar another chance."

"I'm not sure that it's my kind of place, but thanks anyway. Now, I need to be working, so I'll have to catch up with you later," she replied, slightly nervous.

Did I do something? Were my fangs showing? No, nothing. I had given her no reason to be nervous and yet she avoided me even here, on her own turf, surrounded by familiar faces. I wondered what Bill had managed to do to further scare her off since yesterday night.

Her ponytail bounced around as she busied herself, but since there wasn't too much to do, I soon signalled for her to return. When she did, she noticed that I hadn't even touched the synthetic.

"Eric, why are you here? I can't believe you drove all the way over from Shreveport just to try to get one more customer to your bar. It seemed popular enough to me."

"That's true, I'm not here to coach you into returning to my establishment, although that would be lovely. I wanted to finish our conversation from last night. Would you mind sitting down and talking with me for a while?"

"Oh. Okay," she said as she sat down opposite me.

"Tell me, what is your interest in these killings that makes you conduct your very own private investigation?" I asked her.

"I just want the murderer caught, that's all."

"Is that so?" I asked, obviously not fooled by her altruism.

"And the police believe that maybe my brother did it, but I know he's innocent."

That the police had a human suspect was exactly what I wanted to hear, but it would be better if it was the real culprit. "You know that he is innocent?"

"Yes, Eric. I _know_ that he is innocent."

"Then I'm sure the police will realise this as well, don't you agree? Do you think that it was a vampire?"

"Bill is convinced that it wasn't."

"And what do _you_ think?"

There was a short pause before she replied.

"No, I don't think so."

"What do the police believe?"

Oh, I should not have gone there. It was almost visible how her mood shifted, with her eyes shooting angry sparks and the heat rising in her face.

"I'm not going to tell you what I hear in their heads, if that's what you think, mister!" she lashed out. "Their private thoughts are their own, and you have no right to meddle with that."

"All right then, I will have to get in touch with them myself. Do the people in charge of the investigation come into this bar often? During the evening?"

"Bud does sometimes, he's the local sheriff. Andy is the detective, but he's more frequently here for lunch."

"Do you think you could call me to let me know if they come by?"

Suddenly she became much more vary.

"Why? What is your interest in this investigation?"

"I just want the murderer caught, that's all," I replied smugly, using her own words back at her.

"No, you don't. Why would you care if a few more discarded fang-bangers went missing and were found dead?"

"Surely you understand that we vampires would like to put an end to these speculations about a fanged murderer," I replied, quite seriously.

"I guess I can see your point," she admitted and started fidgeting with the stuff in her apron pocket. Maybe I should have refuted the notion of discarding the used fang-bangers?

"Are you scared of me?" I asked her, when the silence started to draw out and she kept refusing to meet my eyes.

"Shouldn't I be scared?" she replied. "I'm sure you could kill me, right here, as easily as most of us swat a horsefly, and nobody would even notice until it was too late."

"Now that would be pretty stupid of me, wouldn't it? That way I'd never get to experience your beautiful skin flushed with heat and arousal."

She blushed and looked like she couldn't decide whether she should be upset or take it as a compliment.

"Has something happened to make you so reserved? I can tell this is not simply caution of the unknown. Has Bill mistreated you in any way? I will make sure he regrets it, if that is the case."

"Oh, no! He's been a perfect gentleman. Well, mostly, anyway. But I did meet some of his friends, and they were real creepy."

"When did you meet them?"

"Well, I went over to his house a couple of days ago to drop off some phone numbers that I was helping him with, and he had these three vamps from Monroe visiting. They really scared me."

"And they were gross," she added as an afterthought.

Three vampires from Monroe, non-mainstreaming I took it. I would have to put an end to them stirring up trouble in my area.

"I hope they won't trouble you any more. If they do, you should give me a call. That is, if you would permit me to give you my number."

"Oh, okay. What is it?"

"May I have your cell? I'll program it for you."

"I don't have a cell phone."

"You don't have a cell phone."

"No, I don't," she stated.

What kind of person doesn't have a cell phone these days? I fished out a business card for Fangtasia from my inside pocket.

"So what's your home phone number?" I asked her as I handed it over.

"What do you need my number for?" she asked, still very cautious.

I took both of her hands between mine and looked her straight in her eyes before I smiled.

"Sookie. I need it in order to ask you out."


	5. Chapter 5

Yes, I know that I suck at updating. But maybe you like my story anyway. If you don't remember, I suggest backtracking. Lots of thanks to my beta; VampLover1, who kicks my but when I need it.

* * *

**Chapter Five**

I left soon after she gave me her number. It had been fun to speak with her, and what I found out about the murder investigation was comforting. However, this nest from Monroe was apparently going to develop into a real problem soon unless something was done about it. I needed to find out who they were, so I decided to pay Bill a visit while in town.

Coming up his driveway I couldn't help but notice the irony that the only thing separating his property from his only neighbours, whom must be Sookie Stackhouse and her grandmother, was a cemetery. He might even have family there, a human wife perhaps. When I got out of my car I heard the music from inside come to a stop, and Bill appeared on the patio.

"Bill," I addressed him as I climbed the steps up to the door.

"Eric," he replied, and stepped aside to let me pass.

I looked around inside the house, which was in dismal condition and very sparsely furnished. It had only been two weeks, if that, since Bill Compton had requested to take up residency here, so it was understandable that he hadn't gotten more done yet, but still. I wouldn't want to live in the house I was born in. Windows, indoor plumbing, and floors are wonderful inventions.

"Tonight I had this urge to take a road trip," I began once we were seated, "and I found this lovely girl tending tables at a local bar I visited."

Bill displayed a strained expression.

"She cast some light on the homicides here. For your own sake, I hope that you know nothing more of this than I do."

"This is correct; I have no involvement with these killings. I didn't even know the girls. It is simply an unfortunate coincidence that this started so soon after I took up residency here."

"Yes, it is," I agreed. "Very unfortunate. Tell me, have you had any success in mainstreaming and incorporating yourself into the community?"

"I have been making some friendly acquaintances, yes."

"I wish for you to work hard on making yourself a very public and acceptable vampire. Any suggestions?"

"I have been asked to give a speech about the civil war."

"Excellent. Make sure it is successful. You may consider such an event to account for two of your scheduled sessions at Fangtasia."

"Thank you, Sheriff."

"Sookie also told me," I continued, changing the subject, "that she had been intimidated by three vampires from Monroe."

"Yes; Malcolm, Liam and Diane."

Ah. Those three were not unheard of, a low water mark in my territory. Unkept, unruly and utterly too full of themselves. They had been laying quite low since the Revelation, but they were the type that could be trusted to stir up trouble any time. However, they were normally very good at cleaning up after themselves. I think I could hear Bill sigh as he uttered their names, and I urged him to elaborate.

"They wanted for me to join their nest," he stated reluctantly.

"I take it that you declined the offer."

He nodded in affirmation, and I couldn't help but think that he seemed like such a perfect example of a mainstreaming vampire. Almost too perfect, down to every last detail of the romantic notion of a Southern gentleman.

"Now, I would like to know how it's possible that the only vampire living in this sad community happened to end up right next door to a telepath," I said, assessing his response.

"Pure luck, I guess," he replied with a small smile. Funny that, he didn't quite seem to believe it himself. Did he not believe his luck, or did he not believe the meeting was by chance?

"And when were you planning on reporting your find?"

"As soon as I was a little bit surer of her behaviour around out kind."

"She seemed well behaved enough to me. Maybe lacking a bit with customs, but it doesn't look like it's been your priority to train her either."

"No, I am reluctant to mould her yet."

"Because...?"

"She is willful and requires a delicate touch."

"Or, because you are aware that you haven't secured her permanently yet?"

"I have, she is mine."

"Somehow I highly doubt that she sees it that way, and I trust that you won't keep her against her will. You are mainstreaming, remember? And she can't be glamoured to forget if you treat her poorly or break the law."

"I am well aware and do not desire to force her into submission either."

"So what are your plans for her?"

"I wish to court her, nothing more," he said, and I could feel my own smile spreading while his face betrayed the realisation of his mistake.

"Wonderful, then I claim the right to her as an employee and asset in regards to her telepathy," I stated as I rose to leave, happy with my accomplishment. He couldn't very well dispute this claim without contradicting himself or going back on his earlier statements.

"I will not be able to accept you risking her safety," he replied while staring down onto the table. It was touching really, his concern for Sookie.

"Don't you worry, a telepath has great value and I take good care of my assets," I replied and patted his shoulder, before he walked me into the hall, defeated.

"Let me know if Malcolm or his entourage show up again," I said as I passed through the front door.

The drive back to Shreveport was completely uneventful. I gazed out into the night, enjoying the warm humid air against my face. The dark landscape offered no entertainment as I sped by the interstate, contemplating the news that Sookie, and later Bill, had provided me with.

If she had stumbled across the Monroe-trio trying to convince Bill to give up mainstreaming, then there was no wonder that she was put off by vampires. It's a pity she couldn't be glamoured to forget about it. But having secured the right to her professionally, it would only be a matter of time before she gave up on Bill completely, of that I was positive.

I pulled into the Fangtasia parking lot and went to my office. Checking the time, I realised that it wasn't even midnight yet. Pam would be so pleased. I decided to call Mr. Cataliades straight away, in order to have him draw up an appropriate contract for Sookie. While I waited for him to pick up, Pam strolled in.

"Back already? Is she dead?" she asked, looking amused. I motioned for her to sit down just as Mr. Cataliades picked up on the other end.

"Good evening, this is Eric Northman."

"Hello, what can I do for you tonight?"

"I have a new employee within my retinue, and I was wondering if you are available to help out with the paperwork. Could you make it here sometime this week?"

"Certainly, we could book a meeting for, maybe Monday, at nine?"

"Sounds excellent, I will arrange for a meeting with the girl in question."

"All right. What kind of paperwork do you need help with?"

"I need a claim, employment contract, insurance and a selection of leasing contracts for renting her out. The rest I think my human lawyer can handle. Maybe we need to adjust the benefit plan to suit this particular situation."

"I take it this is something that requires some confidentiality?"

"Yes, she has.., a special ability, which is what I would like to hire."

"I see. I will prepare some drafts for you to peruse. Any details that you can share with me already? Like, her race?"

"She's human. Just make sure it is a good, and fair, proposition, with no loopholes. I require the exclusive right to her services. The rest we will negotiate on Monday. "

"As you wish."

"Thank you, Mr Cataliades."

I ended the call and turned my attention to my child.

"How are things here?"

"Crazy. Sometimes I think the police interest is good for business," she said in a tired tone. "I will never understand humans."

"Well, I'm very pleased with the turn of events, so I'll be out on the floor. Why don't you take a break? Find yourself someone interesting to eat," I suggested, and she smiled back at me.

"Yes, I think I'll do that. Do you need me any more tonight?"

"No, I'll see you tomorrow."

With that we both left my office - me for the main bar area and she for the back door exit. I can understand her well, for the selection here is usually quite bland. As I entered the club, the revolting air hit me in the face. A hundred sweaty and overly perfumed humans jumping up and down to the music in a limited space create the most indescribable smell.

Most of the patrons noticed my presence right away. Some was desperately trying to be noticed, and a few tourists started pointing in my direction. Now, please, tell me again why I was in a good mood? What was I doing here?


End file.
